Studies show that 2/3 of American juvenile prisoners suffer from a mental illness. They also show that just 15 days of isolation can cause serious and irreversible psychological damage. Most adolescents placed in solitary confinement can remain in solitary confinement for weeks or even years. The Youth Detention Center, also known as Juvenile Hall, is a secure facility for juvenile youth who have committed crimes ranging from theft to drug possession. Under the American justice system, one way to keep the peace in prisons is solitary confinement. Solitary confinement involves isolating prisoners in closed cells 22 hours a day, without human contact. This is also called prison segregation. Many of those subjected to solitary confinement are often placed there because they need protection, have disfavored political beliefs, are gay or transgender, or have an untreated mental disorder. These prisoners can be held in these circumstances for days, weeks, or even years. Humans must have contact with other humans to grow and develop appropriately. By placing adolescents in this environment, the American criminal justice system is working against it. These children are not properly rehabilitated to be prepared to enter the real world as effective and productive members of society. Solitary confinement of adolescents is a cruel and unnecessary punishment that goes against basic human needs and can cause extreme psychological harm. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Teenagers placed in solitary confinement are a cruel form of punishment. Solitary confinement was a way to separate adult inmates from others. Adolescents, who are not considered adults, are placed in solitary confinement. In fact, “about 100,000 juveniles were held in adult prisons” (Chuck 1). Society views adolescents as very different from adults, so much so that we hold them to different standards. Their minds and privileges are different and yet when they commit a crime, they are seen as exactly the same. Therefore, solitary confinement is an unnecessary punishment for adolescents because they are subjected to a form of punishment reserved for adults. Solitary confinement is also primarily used as protection for the inmate due to certain aspects of their personality. By isolating them, we witness a phase of despair. The system teaches inmates that being who they are is something they should be punished for. Solitary confinement can also lead to many mental disorders that may be created during placement or developed through the trauma of the event. Being able to configure these types of disorders constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. The United States should not oppose the reintegration of adolescents but rather promote their health and sustainability. Regardless of gender, religion, nationality, race or language, all human beings have basic needs. Human contact is a necessity that goes hand in hand with normal human growth and solitary confinement restricts the minor's contact with others. In a report from the American Civil Liberties Union, they analyzed that "because young people are still developing, traumatic experiences like solitary confinement can have a profound effecton their chances of readjusting and growing” (Devorsky 1). By isolating adolescents from the rest of the world 22 hours a day, without any human contact, they no longer meet the medical, psychological, developmental and social needs of these adolescents. Adolescents are now forced to have no real life experience with other members of society. They do not have access to the social culture around them. Nancy Shute interviewed a neuroscientist named John Cacioppo who further explains that "just like hunger, thirst and pain, loneliness signals something important for the survival of your genes: the need for connection with other individuals" (1). As humans, young people need social interactions. They need to have that sense of belonging and maintain relationships so they don't fall into a state of depression and helplessness. By simply establishing a connection with another human being, it is more difficult for the minor to distance themselves from the crowd. Allowing contact and connection with others helps reduce feelings of isolation. Solitary confinement maintains walls between inmates and the world for years. Inmates are not given the chance or opportunity to grow, so not receiving rehabilitation will not help anyone in the long run. Adolescents may develop or worsen mental health problems if they are placed in solitary confinement. These inmates are forced to be locked in a room for most of the day, with the only human contact being when the officer sneaks their meals inside. An advocacy group called Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility states that "many, if not most, people in solitary confinement suffered from mental illness prior to their placement in solitary confinement" (US: Teens in Solitary Confinement 1) . During solitary confinement, many inmates do not receive the minimum care required by an adolescent. Depriving them of this care can further deteriorate the minds of these adolescents, leading to an intensification of their mental illnesses. However, the rare people who enter solitary confinement without mental disorders tend to leave after having adopted one. Teenagers are already in a very vulnerable state and by placing them in a cell with hours of nothing but their own thoughts, they will soon become one of not many more. Many suffer from anxiety, depression, anger, insomnia, irrational thoughts, paranoia and, in the worst cases, think or practice self-harm. This self-mutilation among prisoners turns into suicide attempts. Laura Dimon writes about a study where “they found that among suicides in juvenile facilities, half of the victims were in solitary confinement at the time they killed themselves” (1). As noted previously, some inmates are placed in this isolation due to their mental health issues and sometimes even for suicide watch. Solitary confinement is supposed to be a place of “protection,” yet most suicides committed occurred while under surveillance. If adults subjected to solitary confinement can suffer from mental disorders, the impact on young people and adolescents is much more significant. Having a mental disorder can interfere with their daily lives. The disorder can affect the way the inmate thinks, feels and behaves. They can have lifelong effects that can make it difficult for inmates to move on with their lives. Part of society agrees with solitary confinement as a form of punishment for adolescents. One argument is that by separating these prisoners from society, it is an effective way of maintaining peace within the prison..